ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Finance
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seizes smuggled high-end premium watches of foreign origin worth over ₹30 crore
Based on specific intelligence developed by DRI Mumbai Zonal Unit, one person was in possession of more than 30 smuggled high-end premium watches of foreign origin at his residential premises. The said person had gone abroad and would be returning to India carrying some more high-end premium watches of foreign origin which would be attempted to be smuggled into the country without payment of duty.
Acting on the intelligence, the said individual was intercepted at Kolkata Airport while coming back from Singapore and one very expensive Greubel Forsey brand watch was recovered from his possession which he had not declared before the Customs Authorities. The said person was arrested under Section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962.
Subsequently, the residential premises of the said individual at an upscale residential complex was searched by the officers of DRI, Mumbai Zonal Unit. During the said search operation, 34 high-end watches of various premium brands namely Greubel Forsey, Purnell, Louis Vitton, MB&F, Mad, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, etc. were recovered. Most of these watches are Limited Edition watches of exceptionally high value. The total market value of all the watches is estimated at more than Rs 30 Crores.
Import of watches by individuals through the baggage attracts 38.5 % of Customs duties as per Baggage Rules, which was evaded by the said individual. The case has unearthed a serious fraud committed over several foreign trips/visits and has reinforced DRI’s ability to detect and combat unique and sophisticated methods of smuggling.
Prime Minister's Office
PM greets everyone on Nukhai
The Prime Minister has greeted the nation on the auspicious occasion of Nukhai.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said:
“Nuakhai Juhar!
Greetings to everyone on this auspicious occasion. On Nuakhai we laud the outstanding efforts of our industrious farmers and their role in nation building.
I pray for everyone's good health and well-being.”
President's Secretariat
President of India to Grace the Concluding Function of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Divya Prem Seva Mission in Haridwar on March 27
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind will visit Uttarakhand from March 26 to 27, 2022.
On March 27, 2022, the President will grace and address the concluding ceremony of the silver jubilee celebrations of Divya Prem Seva Mission in Haridwar.
Ministry of Science & Technology
INST synthesises inorganic-organic hybrid compound that can inhibit breast, lung & liver cancer cells
Polyoxometalates  have evolved as a promising candidate for future metallodrugs for combating cancer
The compound synthesized by the INST team could open new avenues for antitumor applications
Scientists from the Institute of Nano Science & Technology , Mohali, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology Government of India, have synthesized a novel inorganic-organic hybrid compound that can inhibit breast, lung, and liver cancer cells, opening up new possibilities for metallodrugs.
The solid compound based on phosphomolybdate cluster, an inorganic salt of phosphomolybdic acid, belongs to the Polyoxometalates  family, which had earlier been identified to have antitumor potential. The team of scientists led by Dr. Monika Singh and Dr. Deepika Sharma has chalked out the mechanism by which the compound kills the cancer cells. The research has been published in the journal Dalton Transactions.
POMs are an evolving class of inorganic metal oxides, which over the last decades, established promising biological activities by the virtue of their great diversity in structures and properties.
In order to probe into the mechanism of how the cancer cells are attacked by the compound, the team synthesised it by hydrothermal method. The aqueous mixture of sodium molybdate, phosphorus acid, and bipyridine was heated in an acetate buffer solution of pH 4 at 160 °C for 72 hours.In vitro cytotoxicity of the compound was determined on breast cancer , lung cancer  and liver cancer  cells by the conventional MTT assay . The cytotoxic effect observed for the compound on the various cancer cell lines was further compared with that of a routinely used chemotherapeutic agent, Methotrexate , by the MTT assay.
The mechanism of cell death occurring in breast cancer , lung cancer  and liver cancer  cells was evaluated using an Alexa Fluor 488 annexin V/dead cell apoptosis kit . To determine the effect of the synthesized materials on the cell division, cell cycle analysis for the MCF-7, A549, and HepG2 cell lines was done by using flow cytometry. The in vitro results showed that this hybrid solid is less toxic towards normal cells, and its antitumor activity was also found to be comparable with that of a routinely used chemotherapeutic agent, Methotrexate .
In the past few decades, POMs have evolved as a promising candidate for future metallodrugs for combating cancer. The compound synthesized by the INST team could open new avenues for antitumor applications.
[Publication: Joshi, A.; Gupta, R.; Singh, B.; Sharma, D.; & Singh, M., Effective inhibitory activity against MCF-7, A549 and HepG2 cancer cells by phosphomolybdate based hybrid solid. Dalton Trans., 2020 DOI: 10.1039/D0DT01042A.
For more details, Dr. Monika Singh ) can be contacted.]
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 Update
61.22 Cr. vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
44,658 new cases in the last 24 hours
Active cases account for 1.06% of total cases
India's Active caseload stands at 3,44,899
Recovery Rate currently at 97.60%
32,988 recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to 3,18,21,428
Weekly Positivity Rate  less than 3% for last 63 days
Daily positivity rate  less than 3% for last 32 days
51.49 cr Total Tests conducted so far
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
EWS RESERVATION IN RAJASTHAN
Persons who are not covered under the existing scheme of reservation for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and whose family has gross annual income below Rs.8.00 lakh are to be identified as EWSs for the benefit for reservation. Family for this purpose will include the person who seeks benefit of reservation, his/her parents and siblings below the age of 18 years as also his/her spouse and children below the age of 18 years. The income shall include income from all sources i.e. salary, agriculture, business, profession etc. and it will be income for the financial year prior to the year of application.
This information was given by Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID - 19 Vaccination Update - Day 418
India’s cumulative vaccination coverage crosses 179.51 Crore
More than 15 lakh Vaccine doses administered today till 7 pm
India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 179.51 Crore  today. More than 15 lakh  Vaccine Doses have been administered till 7 pm today. More than 2.09 Crore  Precaution Doses for the identified categories of beneficiaries  for COVID vaccination have been administered so far. The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late tonight.
The cumulative coverage of vaccine doses, segregated based on population priority groups, is as follows:
|
|
Cumulative Vaccine Dose Coverage
|
|
HCWs
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
10402357
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
9980095
|
|
Precaution Dose
|
|
4278528
|
|
FLWs
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
18410932
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
17468609
|
|
Precaution Dose
|
|
6455429
|
|
Age Group 15-18 years
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
55646222
|
|
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
32443946
|
|
Age Group 18-44 years
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
552957961
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
452436697
|
|
Age Group 45-59 years
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
202464810
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
182045794
|
|
Over 60 years
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
126550892
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
113375417
|
|
Precaution Dose
|
|
10203307
|
|
Cumulative 1st dose administered
|
|
966433174
|
|
Cumulative 2nd dose administered
|
|
807750558
|
|
Precaution Dose
|
|
20937264
|
|
Total
|
|
1795120996
Today’s achievement in the vaccination exercise, segregated by population priority groups, is as follows:
|
|
Date: 9th March, 2022 
|
|
HCWs
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
52
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
1086
|
|
Precaution Dose
|
|
8975
|
|
FLWs
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
85
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
1972
|
|
Precaution Dose
|
|
13304
|
|
Age Group 15-18 years
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
60875
|
|
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
379862
|
|
Age Group 18-44 years
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
87430
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
699396
|
|
Age Group 45-59 years
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
12863
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
161526
|
|
Over 60 years
|
|
1st Dose
|
|
9169
|
|
2nd Dose
|
|
104409
|
|
Precaution Dose
|
|
54866
|
|
Cumulative 1st dose administered
|
|
170474
|
|
Cumulative 2nd dose administered
|
|
1348251
|
|
Precaution Dose
|
|
77145
|
|
Total
|
|
1595870
The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Steps to Check Maoist/Naxal Activities
There has been a steady decline in Left Wing Extremism  related violence and geographical spread of LWE influence in the country. The number of deaths  in LWE related violence has reduced consistently from 1005 in 2010 to 202 in 2019. In 2020 , deaths have further reduced from 137 to 102 in comparison with the corresponding period of 2019.
Number of deaths  in LWE related violence in last three years State-wise is as under:
|
|
State
|
|
2017
|
|
2018
|
|
2019
|
|
2020

|
|
|
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
|
7
|
|
3
|
|
5
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bihar
|
|
22
|
|
15
|
|
17
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
|
130
|
|
153
|
|
77
|
|
63
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jharkhand
|
|
56
|
|
43
|
|
54
|
|
22
|
|
|
|
|
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
|
1
|
|
0
|
|
2
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maharashtra
|
|
16
|
|
12
|
|
34
|
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
|
Odisha
|
|
29
|
|
12
|
|
11
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
|
Telangana
|
|
2
|
|
2
|
|
2
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
West Bengal
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
Others
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
|
263
|
|
240
|
|
202
|
|
102
|
|
|
|
To combat the LWE menace, the Government of India has formulated National Policy and Action Plan in 2015, which consists of a multi-pronged approach comprising security measures, development initiatives and ensuring rights & entitlements of local communities.
MHA is supporting the State Governments extensively by way of deployment of CAPF Battalions, provision of helicopters and UAVs and sanction of India Reserve Battalions / Special India Reserve Battalions  etc. Funds are provided under Modernization of Police Force , Security Related Expenditure  Scheme and Special Infrastructure Scheme  for modernization and training of State Police.
Apart from flagship infrastructure schemes of the Central Government, several development initiatives have been implemented for construction of roads, installation of mobile towers, skill development, improving network of banks and post offices, health and education facilities. Funds for development are also provided to most LWE affected districts under Special Central Assistance  scheme.
Resolute implementation of National Policy and Action Plan has resulted in consistent decline in the LWE violence and its geographical spread.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply to question in the Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Coal
Coal Secretary Leads Ministry’s Yogotsav Countdown Programme 
Celebrations of International Yoga Day, 2022
At the initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the United Nations General Assembly took a historic decision in 2014 to declare 21st June as the International Day of Yoga . Theworld wide acceptance of Yoga is a matter of pride for India, as Yoga is an integral part of our cultural and spiritual heritage. Every year, the IDY observation begins with a Mass Yoga Demonstration in the morning, which is led by the Prime Minister himself, followed by other Yoga related activities.
With just #67DaysToGo forInternational Yoga Day, 2022, the Ministry of Coal organized Yogotsav countdown programmehere today at Shastri Bhwan.
The programmewas inaugurated by Dr. Anil Kumar Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Coal. The countdown celebration was attended by senior officials and other staff of the Ministry. More than 100 persons participated in Yoga organized in Shastri Bhawan premisesand guided by experts from Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga - Sh. Satyendra Kumar Singh, Yoga Therapist, Ms. Neetu Sharma and Ms Harpreet Kaur.
Y-Break protocol effective for office was also demonstrated in detail. All the PSUs which were connected through virtual mode, also had very useful interactions with the Yoga experts and everybody felt that Yoga is very useful and needs to be practiced regularly.
Ministry of Defence
IAF TO PARTICIPATE IN TACTICAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME WITH EGYPTIAN AIR FORCE
Indian Air Force would be participating in Tactical Leadership Programme at Egyptian Air Force Weapon School from 24 Jun - 24 Jul 22 in Egypt  with three Su-30MKI aircraft, two C-17 aircraft and 57 IAF personnel .
It is a unique exercise with Air assets in a Large Force Engagement environment, simulating various conflict scenarios. The exercise is aimed at enhancing defence cooperation between the two countries and exchange of best practices.
In the present geopolitical scenario, this exercise provides a unique opportunity to showcase reach and capability of the IAF. It will also provide an opportunity to showcase the Su-30 MKI manufactured in India by HAL and our country's expertise for deeper indigenisation of spares and components.
Ministry of Defence
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh wholeheartedly welcomes Supreme Court’s judgement on Permanent Commission for women in Army
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgement on Permanent Commission for women in Army. “I wholeheartedly welcome Hon’ble Supreme Court’s judgement on giving the Women officers permanent commission in the Armed Forces. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has supported the idea of permanent commission for women and announced the change in policy in his Independence Day speech in 2018,” he tweeted.
“A historic decision to allow women in field operations came earlier when the then defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that women will be inducted into the Military Police. The recruitment process has started in 2019. The plan was to recruit women in roles ranging from probing crime cases to assisting the army in field operations wherever required,” said Raksha Mantri.
“There have been instances where certain women officers have been in the job for nearly twenty years, while SSC term terminates in fourteen years. In 2019, the Defence Ministry granted a permanent commission to women in all 10 branches of the Indian Army, including Signal Corps, intelligence, aviation, engineering, service corps and ordinance corps,” added Shri Rajnath Singh.
Before 2016, women made up just 2.5 percent of India's armed forces, working in mainly non-combat roles.
As of January 2019, 3.89 percent of the army personnel comprised women, while 6.7 percent of the navy and 13.28 percent of the air force personnel respectively were women as of June 2019.
As of June 2019, women were inducted in all branches of the Indian Air Force, with terms and conditions for women officers being issued from time to time.
Shri Rajnath Singh said, “The Government of India is working to strengthen the ‘Stree Shakti’ in our Armed Forces and we stand committed to move forward in this direction.”
ABB/SS/Nampi/KA/Savvy/MTJ/ADA
(
Prime Minister's Office
PM to interact with MUDRA Beneficiaries tomorrow
Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will interact with over 100 MUDRA beneficiaries from across the country at a function in the capital tomorrow.
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana  has been one of the flagship initiatives of the Governmentto promote entrepreneurship spirit among the youth by providing easy loans without guarantees.As on 23rd March, 2018, 4,53,51,509 loans have been sanctioned, amounting to Rs. 2,28,144.72 Crore. The total amount disbursed under this scheme is Rs. 220596.05 Crore
The scheme was launched on 8th April 2015 to promote and ensure access of financial facilities to Non –Corporate Small Business Sector . The loans provided are easily accessible and in three categories- Shishu, Kishore and Tarun.
Under the scheme all loans upto Rs.10 lakh for income generating activities will be extended as PMMY loans. Loan of upto Rs. 50000 is given under sub-scheme ‘Shishu’ between Rs. 50,000 to 5 Lakhs under sub-scheme ‘Kishore’ and between Rs. 5 Lakhs to Rs.10 Lakhs under sub-scheme ‘Tarun’.
Activities allied to Agriculture  and services supporting these, which promote livelihood or are income generating, have also been included under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojanafrom April, 2016 onwards.
Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence sets up an Apex Committee for Performance and Efficiency Audit
It’s a major shift from compliance audit to improve overall efficiency
The Ministry of Defence has set up an institutional mechanism comprising of an Apex committee with Defence Secretary as Chairman to conduct a Performance and Efficiency Audit into various aspects of its activities. This kind of audit is expected to provide valuable inputs to the top management of the Ministry of specific shortcomings, if any, in planning and execution of projects, and suggest systemic improvements in internal controls, soundness of financial procedures, identification of risk factors, etc. It is a major shift from the existing transaction-based compliance audit to carry out an outcome-based Performance/ Efficiency Audit aimed at enhancing overall efficiency.
The members of the committee include Vice Chiefs of the three Services, Secretary Defence , Chief of Integrated Staff Committee , Controller General of Defence Accounts , Director General  and other senior officials of Ministry of Defence and Defence Research and Development Organisation .
The broad areas that have been identified for the conduct of Performance and Efficiency Audit include Defence Capital Procurements, provisioning, logistics, inventory levels, Maintenance of platforms/ assets, role and performance of Authority Holding Sealed Particulars  etc. the Apex committee can also recommend any other specific area for Performance and Efficiency Audit.
The committee chaired by Defence Secretary will identify specific areas for the conduct of performance and audit by CGDA and monitor performance audit reports and action taken thereon. It also shall advise Raksha Mantri on remedial measures to be adopted as well as measures for overall improvement in strengthening of internal oversight and Risk Management Framework.
Ministry of Railways
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw interacts with the students of BHU and IIT, BHU
Stations are being redeveloped reflecting the identity of the city: Shri Vaishnaw
Railway Minister says – Increase the capacity so much that the hassle of waiting list ends
Union Minister of Railways, Communication and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw interacted with students of BHU and IIT, BHU in Varanasi today.
During the student interaction he said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the Indian Railways is working to strengthen the infrastructure in the spirit of Nation First, Always First. He added that the Prime Minister desires that the identity of the city be visible in the railway stations of different cities.
He stressed that the railway station should be the one connecting both the parts of the city. The expansion of the railway station is being done to achieve this. Along with this, capacities are being augmented so that people get rid of waiting lists, hassles and delays in train movements, he added.
Shri Vaishnaw said that ten years earlier, very less manufacturing used to happen in rail and other sectors including electronics in the country. Today, with the support of Indian engineers, manufacturing is done on a large scale within the country itself.
Shri Vaishnaw informed that Vande Bharat Express trains equipped with modern facilities will run across the country. Work is being done to achieve this. He said that Varanasi Junction and Kashi station are being revamped into world class stations. These stations are being redeveloped keeping in view the needs of the next 50 years. He informed that the Union Cabinet gave approval to redevelop 50 railway stations in the country including Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Charbagh Lucknow, Chennai, Bengaluru Cantt, Madurai. Work has started in 45 railway stations.
The Minister said that Indian Railways works to connect the whole country. Kashi Tamil Sangamam fulfills the Prime Minister's vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
Earlier, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw interacted with the students of Banaras Hindu University. He paid tributes to the statue of Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya.
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw said that at present India has become the second largest mobile manufacturer in the world. India has become the sixth country in the world, which is equipped with end-to-end facilities of mobile towers and 5G technology. He urged the students to make the country developed one by 2047.
He said that work is also going at a fast pace in the field of 5G. He informed that 5G labs will be set up in 100 universities in the country. He said that at present, a target of setting up 2500 5G towers every week was given but by January next year, the Prime Minister has asked to build 10,000 5G towers every week. By next Diwali, he promised that the 5G network will reach most parts of the country.
Ministry of Electronics & IT
Last date of participation in FOSS4Gov Innovation Challenge extended till 15 September, 2021
A virtual roundtable discussion ‘Free and Open Source Software  in Government’ was organized by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to increase awareness about the usage of FOSS in governance and government functioning, and adoption of FOSS, MeitY on April 22, 2021.
On the occasion of 7-year anniversary of MyGov, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology  launched #FOSS4Gov Innovation Challenge to accelerate adoption of Free and Open Source Software  in Government and build Indian FOSS Ecosystem on July 26, 2021.
Through this challenge, various innovators, start-ups, working professionals, academics and students in India are invited to showcase their existing FOSS based innovations and/or build new, implementable, open-source product innovations in Customer Relationship Management  and Enterprise Resource Planning  with possible applications for Govtech in Health, Education, Agriculture, Urban Governance etc. The winners of the Challenge will receive cash rewards and incubation support to scale their products for listing on Government e Market .
To promote this challenge further, the last date of participation and submission have been extended till 15 September, 2021. MeitY appeals to FOSS innovators to participate in large numbers to drive the FOSS revolution to its maximum potential.
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Prime Minister's Office
PM greets people of Bihar on Bihar Diwas
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has greeted the people of Bihar on Bihar Diwas.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, "बिहार दिवस की राज्य के सभी निवासियों को ढेरों शुभकामनाएं। गौरवशाली अतीत और समृद्ध संस्कृति के लिए विशेष पहचान रखने वाला यह प्रदेश विकास के नित नए आयाम गढ़ता रहे।"